In the aftermath of Rudra’s wrath, a fire blazed forth—born from his fury and fueled by the power of Śaṅkara’s illusion. In a single instant, the gods themselves were consumed, destroyed utterly by that terrible conflagration. After this, having conquered alongside Viṣṇu, the blessed Supreme Lord, Rudra—prompted by the words of the sage Dadhīca—prepared to act once more. At the great sacrifice of Dakṣa, the blessed Rudra unleashed his power, burning all the gods, Viṣṇu at their head, and even the assembled groups of sages. The pain of separation from the goddess was unbearable for the Supreme Lord, and so he sent forth a host named Bhadra. From his very hair, Rudra created Vīrabhadra and the mighty lords of the gaṇas—auspicious beings of immense power. Bhadra, commanding and formidable, mounted a chariot with these lords of the gaṇas as his companions. His charioteer was the blessed, unborn one, and together with the gaṇas—each bearing various weapons—they resolved to set forth. The gods, too, followed in all directions, riding in auspicious aerial chariots, journeying to the splendid golden peak atop the beautiful Himalaya. There, near the gateway of the Ganges, stood the sacrificial enclosure at the renowned and auspicious Kanakhala. Then, by the will of the Supreme Lord, Bhadra was dispatched to burn the sacrifice. At his coming, a fearful omen swept the worlds: mountains shattered, the earth trembled, violent winds whirled, and the ocean’s abode was stirred into turmoil. The sacred fires would not blaze, the sun gave no light, and even the planets, gods, and demons were plunged into darkness. In that moment, Bhadra, surrounded by the fierce Bhairava hosts, entered the sacrificial enclosure of the great-souled Dakṣa, appearing like a second fire of destruction. Addressing Dakṣa, whose splendor was immeasurable, Bhadra declared, “By the very touch of Pinākin, O Dakṣa, you, the sages, and the gods— I have been sent to burn you all, together with the lords of the sages.” With these words, the chief of the gaṇas set fire to the sacrificial hall. Enraged, the lords of the gaṇas tore up the sacrificial posts and hurled them about. The chanters and priests, too, were burned by their fury. The gaṇas seized all those present and cast them into the rushing waters of the Ganges. The mighty Vīrabhadra seized Indra’s upraised hand, restraining it without fear, and likewise subdued the hands of the other gods. With playful ease, he plucked out Bhaga’s eyes with his fingertips, struck Pūṣan’s teeth from his mouth with his fist, and with his big toe, brought down the god Chandra. Vīrabhadra, glorious and mighty, began to grind and then cut off the head of lordly Indra with his sword. He severed both hands of Agni, tore out his tongue, and struck him on the head with his foot. The blessed Lord himself broke Yama’s staff and struck down the powerful god Īśāna with his trident. Without effort, Rudra and his hosts slew thirty-three gods, then three hundred, and three thousand more, all with ease. He slew three of the lords of gods, the chief sages, and all the other gods who had assembled for battle. Rudra struck down his foes with swords, fists, and arrows. Amid this devastation, the mighty Viṣṇu, enraged, raised his discus and confronted Rudra. Between the two, a most terrible and hair-raising battle erupted. By the power of his yoga, Viṣṇu manifested countless fierce divine forms, each bearing conch, discus, and mace, all shining with the brilliance of Nārāyaṇa. In the thick of battle, Rudra struck Viṣṇu on the head with his mace, and again playfully struck his chest. At that moment, the supreme person fell unconscious to the ground. Rising again, Viṣṇu lifted his discus, intent on slaying his adversary. His eyes reddened with anger, the illustrious Lord stood firm, his fierce discus shining like the sun at the end of time. But Rudra, undaunted, blocked the discus, rendering it immovable; Viṣṇu stood immobilized, like a mountain rooted to the earth. Then Rudra shattered Viṣṇu’s bow, Śārṅga, in three places; and by the force at its tip, Viṣṇu’s head was severed, falling to the netherworld, driven by the wind, by the power of Pinākin, the bringer of life. That severed head entered the sacrificial fire, where the altar was destroyed, posts broken, and the gateway fallen. As the great hall blazed, even the sacrifice itself fled, taking the form of a deer and leaping toward the sky. Vīrabhadra seized it, making it headless; then he struck down Prajāpati Dharma and Kaśyapa, the teacher of the world. The mighty hero also struck Ariṣṭanemi, lord of many sons, the sage Aṅgiras, and Kṛṣṇāśva as well. Vīrabhadra struck the renowned Dakṣa on the head with his foot, cut off his head, and the best of the twice-born ones burned it in the fire. He cut off the tip of Sarasvatī’s nose, and that of the mother of the gods as well, using only the tip of his finger. Surrounded by splendor, Vīrabhadra stood in the midst of the cremation ground, just as Bhava does. At that very moment, the blessed one born from the lotus appeared.